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Sunday, 14 June 2009 21:14

Album Review - Bonnie Prince Billy - Beware

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Bonnie Prince BillieWill Oldham's best songs always feel like he has stopped off to take in the view. But he is not drawn to the usual beauty spots. His resting points can be as enigmatic as the man himself. And that's why he is so durably brilliant. His songs are both random and specific. Sadness is full of humour, pessimism full of optimism. You are left knowing that life is as terrible as you thought and why are you taking it so seriously.

There are obvious musical and vocal reference points, we are hardly short of melancholic genius, thin voices soulfully whining over gorgeous strings and soft percussion, but I think I love him most of all for the reference points beyond music. Beware in particular makes me think of my favourite self effacing comedians, the way they can make you feel pathetic and euphoric. But the clearest image in my head is Harry Dean Stanton walking in Paris, Texas. Lost with purpose. Blotting out the pain until he knows how he can redeem himself.

This album is Bonnie Prince Billy's best in my opinion, simply because it is emotionally consistent. One of the most beautiful lyrics he ever wrote; when you don't have anyone no-one can hurt you, seems to have been expanded out into an album's worth of haunting tunes. This philosophy has moved on and he now feels settled with the thought that; 'you don't love me, but that's alright because you cling to me all through the night'. Your expectations may be higher than that, but don't bother the rest of us with them.

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